


i'll hold you when things go wrong (baby, i’m right here)

by BloodRaven55



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Fantastic Racism, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, One Shot, Post-Volume 6 (RWBY), but with a, it's mostly the Bees having their usual, ruby and weiss are only there briefly tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-26 07:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19000852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodRaven55/pseuds/BloodRaven55
Summary: “Please, tell me what I can do to make this easier for you.”“Just— Just don’t let go of my hand.”a.k.a. Blake and Yang face Atlas together.





	i'll hold you when things go wrong (baby, i’m right here)

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy y'all! It's ya girl back with another fic because my brain keeps giving me way too many ideas that I then just have to write. But I'm not complaining.
> 
> I should note that this does address racism, specifically the anti-Faunus sentiment in Atlas, as a significant theme of the story so maybe give it a miss if you don't want to read about that at all. Also, I of course tried my best to handle the subject as respectfully as possible but I'm not an expert so please let me know if any of it seems wrong. It was very interesting to write this from Yang's POV while making sure that Blake remained the focus of the story the whole way through, and I hope I succeeded but as a writer it can be hard to tell if other people will interpret something the same way that you see it in your head so I'm curious to know people's thoughts.
> 
> Anyway, now that I've said all that... enjoy!

As soon as the group disembarked in Atlas, Weiss' sister Winter fortunately having been present to let them through the military blockade, Yang could tell that something was wrong. The moment they stepped from the airship onto the tarmac, Blake had tensed up and shrunk in on herself slightly, as if she were trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. Of course, her wonderfully, frustratingly selfless partner hadn't said anything, but Yang didn't need to hear the words to know. Not when she could see Blake's gaze fixed unwaveringly to the ground, Blake's hands clenched into fists at her sides, Blake's ears pressed flat against her head like they were trying to disappear entirely.

_The kingdom will not be responsible for her ‘friends’ of questionable character._

The memory of Cordovin's pointed insult had anger surging through her, but she swallowed it down, knowing that it wouldn't help right now. Instead, she shifted just a fraction closer to Blake, close enough for their hands to brush together, hoping that even if this problem wasn't something she could fix she could at least remind her partner that she wasn't facing it alone.

Blake's fingers uncurled instantly at the touch, and Yang was surprised at the strength of her partner's grip when Blake took her hand, accepting the silent offer of support. They followed Ruby and Weiss out of the airfield, passing through the gates into the sprawling icy city beyond.

“Let's hurry up and get the lamp to the Academy.” Weiss looked around uncomfortably, clearly far from happy to be back in the place where she had grown up. “I don't want to be here any longer than necessary.”

“Actually, there’s something I need to do quickly. You guys go on ahead, I’ll catch up with you soon.”

Ruby and Weiss looked at Blake with more than a little confusion, but Yang was beginning to suspect what her partner was talking about. After a few seconds, it seemed like Weiss caught on as well, because she turned back to their leader with a frown that was even deeper than it had been before.

“Come on, Ruby. Let’s retrieve your uncle and try to talk to General Ironwood.”

“Okay. But be careful, you two - that’s an order.” Ruby stepped forward to hug the two of them, and then Blake and Yang were alone in uncomfortable silence as their teammates disappeared down the street.

“You don’t have to come with me.” Blake’s voice was quiet when she finally spoke several seconds later, and Yang mentally kicked herself for assuming that her partner would want her company for something so personal.

“Do you not want me to?” It stung just to ask the question, but she tried to keep the twinge of hurt from colouring her words. The last thing she wanted to do was guilt Blake into letting her go with her if her partner would rather do it alone.

“No! That’s not— of course I want you with me. But, Yang, this isn’t going to be a pleasant experience. I don’t want you getting caught up in my problems.”

“Blake, look at me.” Yang waited for her partner to meet her eyes, and then she continued, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “I’m your partner. That means that your problems are my problems too. I’m not getting caught up in them, I’m choosing to help because you’re— you’re _so_ important to me. And I want to be here for you. So please, tell me what I can do to make this easier for you.”

After a moment Blake tugged on Yang’s hand, leading her in the opposite direction, and Yang fell into step next to her partner.

“Just— Just don’t let go of my hand.”

Yang felt like her heart was breaking in her chest, but she swallowed back the sudden lump in her throat and interlaced their fingers. She couldn’t afford to be weak right now - not when Blake needed her to be strong.

They turned onto a wider, pedestrianised road, and as they navigated through the crowd Yang could feel the stares. She could hear the whispers too - broken fragments of _who allowed that animal out in civilised company?_ and _it could at least have the decency to cover those disgusting ears_ and _do you think she escaped from the mines?_

Each barbed comment made her blood boil a little more, because she knew Blake’s sensitive hearing would pick up each and every venomous word—

“Surely a lovely lady like yourself can do better than a beast like that!” someone called out as they passed, and Yang froze, almost shaking with the urge to hunt down the bastard who had said something so vile and knock their teeth out.

“Yang, _please,_ it’s not worth it.”

Her anger dissipated in an instant, replaced by shame at how selfish she was being. This wasn’t about her, and whatever pain Yang was suffering Blake had to be feeling ten times over.

“I’m sorry. I just never imagined— is this what you have to go through all the time?”

Blake didn’t answer immediately, instead looking around like she was searching for something. After a few moments she seemed to find it, because she started leading Yang towards a store on the other side of the street.

“No, not exactly. There’s racism everywhere, but Atlas is the worst by far. I had a friend, Ilia, who was from here. Her parents died in a Schnee Dust Company mine, and her so-called friends laughed when they saw it on the news.” Yang had never heard such cold fury in Blake’s voice before, and though it startled her slightly she was immensely grateful that Blake trusted her enough to be this honest with her— to share the whole truth instead of a sanitised lie that was easier to handle. “Hatred like that is why I joined the White Fang. You have to understand, Yang, a lot of humans aren’t like you and our friends. They don’t see us as people - we’re something _different,_ something _other,_ something _less._ ”

Yang thought of Cardin’s relentless bullying of Velvet and the other Faunus students at Beacon, of how terrified Blake had been when her teammates had discovered she wasn’t human, and she felt like she was beginning to grasp the magnitude of what her partner was talking about. It would be a monumental task to change something so ingrained in the core of society, but if anyone was brave enough to rise to the challenge it would be Blake. And her partner needed to know that.

“I can’t even imagine how hard it’s going to be to fix that, but I believe that you can do it, Blake. And I know a lot of people who’ll be happy to support you in any way you need.”

Blake didn’t reply, but she gave Yang’s hand a squeeze as they reached their destination and stepped inside, and that was more than enough. Yang glanced around; as she had expected, they were in a clothing store, but what caught her off guard was that there were several Faunus customers lining up to make their purchases. In an instant, she was struck by the understanding that it hadn’t been an accident that Blake had chosen this establishment in particular.

“When we were on the airship I asked Weiss for the nearest place I could buy clothes that wouldn’t turn me away,” Blake explained, and Yang realised that her surprise at seeing Faunus in the store must have shown on her face.

First her partner headed for the rack in front of them, browsing through the options until she found what she wanted—a long black coat with gold trim and a thick lining—and finally let go of Yang’s hand to pick it out. Then Blake made her way to the back of the store, and Yang followed, an uncomfortable weight settling in her stomach when she saw what her partner was looking at.

Ribbons. Like the one Blake had used to cover her ears at Beacon.

This was what she had been expecting—had been dreading—ever since her partner had said she had something she needed to do.

“Blake, you don’t have to—”

“I know, but it would make things easier.”

“Easier for who?” Yang’s voice cracked despite her best efforts, and she took a deep breath to steady it. “For you or for us? Because, Blake, the only person who matters in this is you. If wearing a bow again makes you feel more comfortable, then that’s what you need to do, but please don’t hide yourself for our sake.”

Blake was still for almost a minute, and then she turned around, her decision made, and when they left the store again the only thing she had bought was the coat.

* * *

Hours later the two of them were in one of the many dorm rooms of Atlas Academy, General Ironwood having allowed the group to use some of the school’s accommodation while they were in the city. The facilities were minimal, but it was a vast improvement over an abandoned farm in the middle of the woods, so Yang wasn’t going to complain.

Truth be told, she couldn’t have cared less about where she would be sleeping— she was far too worried about Blake. The dirty looks and cutting remarks hadn’t let up for a moment, and it made her feel sick to her stomach. Between any number of strangers on the street and Weiss’ father, who was truly as reprehensible as their teammate had warned, her partner had faced a constant stream of words designed to cut her down—to make her small—and even though Blake hadn’t so much as flinched Yang was sure it had to have affected her.

She finished pulling on the shorts and tank top she preferred to sleep in, and when she turned to look at her partner Blake was sitting on the edge of the bed, fiddling listlessly with the sleeve of her coat. Yang could tell her partner’s mind was miles away, and she cautiously stepped forward to rest a hand on Blake’s shoulder, hoping the reminder of her presence would bring her partner out of her own head.

“Hey, you might wanna get changed if we’re going to get some sleep.”

Blake looked up at her and nodded slowly, like even the slightest movement was an effort. But she did start to unbutton her coat, and so Yang turned away and pretended to check her scroll to give her partner some privacy while she changed. When she turned around again Blake was already under the covers, lying on her side facing the opposite wall, and Yang’s heart sank.

She climbed into the other side of the bed, torn between moving closer to Blake like she usually would and giving her partner space. She felt totally powerless, and she wished she knew what she could do to help. The oppressive silence made her want to say something, but the fear that it would only make things worse held her back. She couldn’t just do nothing, though, and in the end she decided it was worth the risk.

“Blake, are you okay?” Several seconds passed, and she wondered if Blake was already asleep, but then her partner answered.

“No.”

Blake sounded tired, defeated, _broken,_ and when her breathing hitched like she was trying not to cry Yang couldn’t stand the distance between them any longer. No sooner had she shifted a little closer than Blake rolled over to face her, and Yang hesitantly reached up to wipe away her partner’s tears.

“I f-feel so weak.”

Blake curled into her like she wanted to hide from the world, and Yang wrapped her arms around her, offering all the comfort she could give. She just hoped it was enough. “You’re not weak, Blake. You’re the farthest thing from it. You’re so brave, baby, and I’m so, so proud of you.”

She repeated the words over and over, pitching her voice to be as low and soothing as possible, and her hand rubbed calming circles over Blake’s back for what felt like an eternity until the sobs wracking her partner’s body finally subsided.

“You always fight even when you don’t have to—when you _shouldn’t_ have to—and that takes far more courage than any of these stuck-up, pathetic Atlesian bigots could ever even hope to have.”

Blake laughed, a small but hopeful sound, and Yang felt warmth spread through her chest. She pressed a kiss to the top of Blake’s head, and her partner nuzzled into her neck with a quiet sound of contentment. It didn’t take long for Blake’s breathing to slow, signalling that she was asleep, and Yang held her a little more tightly, feeling a surge of protectiveness.

Maybe there were some battles that Blake would have to fight alone, but Yang would still be there to support her every step of the way.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, there you have it. I hope it was good.
> 
> As always, all comments of any type except for non-constructive criticism are not just welcomed but immensely appreciated.
> 
> For now, I just want to thank you all for reading, and I'll see you guys next time :)


End file.
